Our Yesterdays

2015

Kathy Babberl of Chariton visited her sister Pat Remington of Brighton Oct. 31 through November 2. They enjoyed shopping and dining at different restaurants while she was here.

Tammy Hesseltine of Crawfordsville celebrated her Oct. 28 birthday on October 30th. Her husband Josh arranged a surprise party at Pizza Ranch in Washington. Approximately 20 guests arrived from Wellman, Washington, Crawfordsville, Brighton, and other communities in Washington County. Among the guests was Jason Roberts of Brighton.

Winifred Fritz was visited by her grandson J.D. Hollingsworth of Packwood on November 1. Mary and Joel Boatright of Fairfield joined her mother and son, providing the evening meal. Tony and Lynn Fritz of Brighton also enjoyed the evening meal at his mother’s.

Wayne and Iola Parsons, and Tim and Nancy Parsons, drove to Mascade, Iowa on Sunday morning to attend church services at the Cornerstone Church where Phil Parsons is Pastor. Following church services, they were guests of Phil and Jessica and family for dinner.

The all-conference football teams for the Southeast Iowa Super Conference have been announced. Making the first team offense from Pekin were seniors Chase Copeland and Keaton Winn, junior Trever Northup, and sophomore Kaden Baker. Named to the first team defense were seniors Ryan Swanson and Brady Donovan, and junior Tyler Copeland. Named to the second team were sophomore Chase Eckley and junior Zack Conger. Receiving honorable mention were senior Michael Hadley; junior Joe Hagedon; sophomores Skyler Juhl, Keaton Baayen, Chandler Eckley, and Slater Williams; and freshman Conner Reed.

The all-conference volleyball teams for the Southeast Iowa Super Conference have been announced. Making the first team in the North Division were seniors Beth Atwood and Emily Bemis. Named to the second team from Pekin were seniors Cassidy Tolle and Courtney Comstock. Receiving honorable mention was senior Shelbie Williams and sophomore Maci Gambell. Pekin senior Beth Atwood was named Player of the Year, and Pekin head coach Ashley Bartels was named Coach of the Year.

1980

A new face at the Richland office of the Plainsman-Clarion is that of Mrs. Deb Neff, the new Richland office assistant. She replaces Lori Leppert who has accepted a position at the Town Crier in Fairfield.

The girls selected for Pekin’s queen candidates of the FFA Harvest Ball were Jacque Moothart, Julie Morgan, Lynn Smith, Lisa Atwood, and Connie Ruggles. Queen Lynn Smith was crowned at the Harvest Ball.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer Fritchen will celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary Nov. 9 with an open house at the United Methodist Church in Ollie. The couple has two children, Betty Power and Keith Fritchen, both of Ollie.

Keith Schreiner from Anchorage, Alaska purchased the property of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Shirkey that sold at public auction.

The “Chapel of Remembrance” in Washington will honor all honorably discharged veterans of Washington County irrespective of where they enlisted. The chapel is near the circle in Elm Grove Cemetery. This Veteran’s Memorial, the first in Washington County, is sponsored by Historic Conger House with the cooperation of all Veteran’s organizations in the county. The chapel is 12 by 14 feet and made of Indiana Bedford stone 10 inches thick with a stone roof. The steeple has a copper cross and lightening rods. There will be four stained glass windows honoring men killed in the four services: Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force. They hope to dedicate the chapel on Memorial Day, 1981.

Chester Henry Mannhardt of Fairfield is unofficially the oldest man among the nearly 3 million Iowa residents. He was 107 years old on Dec. 1, 1980. For the record, there are older women in Iowa. Mr. Mannhardt was born on a farm near the once thriving town of Germanville. He got the equivalent of a fourth grade education, attending classes only when it was too cold to work outside. He began working for a farmer at the age of nine, earning eight cents a day. He soon moved up in the world making $200 a year as keeper of the Germanville Store. He quit his long time horse breeding business in 1942, yielding to modern technology in the form of his first tractor.

Bill and Helen Muenzenmeyer were honored guests at a dinner sponsored by the Richland Commercial Club in honor of Bill’s retirement as Richland’s City marshal.

1960

Nichols Home Oil Station was broken into, the artistry of local youths, and some $8.00 was taken. Town marshal Bob Cooney and Sheriff John Wallerich have investigated the mishap.

According to the local news writer for the Southeast section of readers of the Clarion, there had been 36 inches of rain in the area from April to November.

Five year old Terry Brenneman was struck by a car and killed while Trick or Treating in Oskaloosa. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Delmar Brenneman of Oskaloosa. The Brenneman family are former residents of Richland where Mr. Brenneman operated the Richland Plumbing and Heating for a number of years.

Another step was taken toward providing more adequate dressing room space for girl’s physical training groups at Richland School when masons came last week and built a concrete wall across the northern end of the large room formerly used for the storing of coal before the present furnace was converted to gas. As soon as new windows are installed we can proceed with decorating the space which will be much more roomy.

Sam Neff, who has operated the Neff Farm Store, handling Wayne and BP Feeds, has decided to resume farming operations on a larger scale. Since that decision has been made, Mr. Neff is closing out his feed business, formerly operated and known as the Hinshaw Farm Store. Sam sold his farm store business to Don Fritchen of Richland. The new owner is operating the business. Mr. Fritchen formerly was an employee of the Hoskins Farm Store.

Only thirteen years ago there were fourteen high schools in Keokuk County. There are now eight and beginning in September 1961, it is expected that there will be seven or even six in the county including the surrounding area served, which includes the Pekin District. High schools that have been discontinued during these years are: Martinsburg, South English, Webster, Kinross, Gibson, and Keswick. Next year, Ollie high school pupils, as well as Packwood and Farson, will attend the new high school being built at Pekin. Delta high school will close and grades nine through twelve will be tuitioned to other high school districts, or else Delta District by reorganization.

Fire broke out and gutted the two-story home of Mrs. Darlene Gardner. After the fire, Mrs. Gardner, her children and mother moved to the Bill Lear property at the north edge of town.